REMARKABLE STORY. 
315 
sudden, and to me perfectly astonishing and inex¬ 
plicable, appearance of these carnivorants, strongly 
reminded me of the approach of a flock of vultures. 
The following morning I breakfasted on an 
elephant’s foot, done under the ashes, and a dish 
of honey—a meal fit for a king. 
One more “ stalk ” after elephants, and I have 
done with the subject. The story I am about to 
relate is chiefly remarkable from the singular pre¬ 
sentiment of success that preceded its occurrence, 
which I not only felt, but announced to several 
persons. 
We were travelling at the time in the dry bed of 
the Omuramba, a periodical water-course, when I 
was on my way to the river Okovango, and my 
illness had for a time taken a favourable turn, when 
traces of elephants became very numerous. Our 
larder was then all but exhausted, so I determined 
on replenishing it by a hunt for some of this big 
game as soon as certain intelligence could be ob¬ 
tained of its whereabouts. 
And I had not long to wait; for early on the 
following morning we crossed the fresh spoor 
of a middle-sized bull-elephant. Five minutes 
afterwards, I was in hot pursuit of the animal; 
and in less than an hour, he having “ doubled ” 
on his track, I suddenly found myself face to 
face with him in a dense brake, the distance be¬ 
tween us certainly not exceeding some fifteen 
paces. Foreseeing the consequences that might 
ensue, I felt at first averse to fire in my rather 
awkward position, but there was no alternative. 
